Calendar of Events

By Bernard Pomerance
Directed by Sarah Campbell

The Elephant Man is based on the life of John Merrick, who lived in London during the latter part of the nineteenth century. A horribly deformed young man – the victim of rare skin and bone diseases – he becomes the star freak attraction in traveling sideshows. Found abandoned and helpless, he is admitted to London’s prestigious Whitechapel Hospital. Under the care of celebrated young physician Frederick Treves, Merrick is introduced to London society and slowly evolves from an object of pity to an urbane and witty favorite of the aristocracy and literati, only to be denied his ultimate dream – to become a man like any other.

Performances are Thu-Sat 7:30 PM and Sun 3 PM

Theatre Knoxville Downtown, 800 S. Central Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information & tickets: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com

$15.00

Join us for a night of terror and intrigue on our Historically Haunting Halloween Tours! Explore Blount Mansion and learn about the chilling history of the Blount family, the city of Knoxville, and beyond!

Let us be your ghastly guide to the afterlife as you encounter the dark and twisted corridors of the house where you'll hear tall tales of ghosts, spirits, and other supernatural phenomena that are prevalent throughout the hills of Appalachia. You may even have the chance to see some of the house's most eerie artifacts, including a Victorian hair wreath, a (possibly) possessed doll, and more.

But beware! The spirits of the house are known to be restless, and they may just make an appearance during your tour. So be prepared for a night of terror and suspense as you explore the hallowed ground of Blount Mansion.

Tickets are $15 a person and are available at the link below.

Tours are available on select nights in October, and tickets sell out quickly, so book yours today!

Tours will be conducted at 8pm, 8:30pm, 9pm, and 9:30pm.

https://blount-mansion.square.site/

Friday, October 18th, 2024 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday, October 19th, 2024 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday, October 20th, 2024 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Each year the Knoxville Gem & Mineral Society hosts a Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show to the public. This show is a must-see for any rock connoisseur or anyone with a love and fascination with gems, minerals, fossils, and other mineralogical and geological wonders.

The three -day 33rd Annual Gem, Mineral & Jewelry Show opens October 20th at 10 am at the Rothchild Conference Center at 8807 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37923. Show times are from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm October 18th – 19th, Friday and Saturday; from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm on Sunday, October 20th. The Gem Show is open to the public and has an admission fee of $8 a day for adults or $15 for the whole show; children under 12 are admitted free. The Gem and Mineral Show will have many vendors that offer great products including a wide variety of jewelry, rare fossil and mineral specimens, meteorites, gems of all colors shapes & sizes, lapidary & jewelry equipment, and much more.

The Knoxville Gem and Mineral Society is a non-profit organization. A portion of the proceeds from our annual show is used for educational purposes in the earth sciences. This includes scholarships to the University of Tennessee Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and the East Tennessee State University Geoscience Department. https://www.knoxrocks.org/gem-show/

The Joy of Music School has partnered with Concerts For Our Own, a local organization committed to supporting causes in our community through live music. Marshall Charloff & The Purple Xperience will perform Friday, October 18, 7:30 PM in the Tennessee Amphitheater at World's Fair Park.

Each show will spotlight partnering organizations. Proceeds will support the Joy of Music School, Knoxville Pediatric Cancer Collaborative and The Love Kitchen. All ticket proceeds will go towards supporting these organizations.

All shows will be held in the Tennessee Amphitheater at World’s Fair Park
963 World’s Fair Park Dr
Knoxville, TN 37916

Joy of Music School, 1209 Euclid Avenue Knoxville, TN 37921. Information: 865-525-6806, www.joyofmusicschool.org

Join us for the 2024 Legacy Luncheon for the Parks on October 18th for our annual luncheon at the beautiful Holston River Farm!

Our guest speaker, Erik Weihenmayer, is one of the most celebrated and accomplished adventurers in the world as the only blind climber in history to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Erik's No Barriers a movement is a mission is to help all of us deal with challenges, to turn into the storm of life, face barriers head-on, embrace a pioneering and innovative spirit, and team up with great people to live rich in meaning and purpose.

The Luncheon funds the work of Legacy Parks to create parks and trails and conserve our natural resources. Reserve your tickets or table at https://legacyparks.networkforgood.com/projects/222127-legacy-luncheon-for-the-parks-2024

We look forward to seeing you under the big tent!

Legacy Parks Foundation: 900 Volunteer Landing Lane, Knoxville, TN 37915. Information: 865-525-2585, www.legacyparks.org

Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Friday, October 18, 8:00 PM at the Bijou Theatre.

Tickets at https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1B0060F0C9E942B7

Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information/tickets: 865-522-0832, https://knoxbijou.org/

Friday, October 18 at 6:00 p.m. starting outside Hodges Library

Located on a river peninsula, the University of Tennessee’s campus is an unheralded but fascinating historical site. Established on Knoxville’s steepest hill during the early Jacksonian Era, the college became a battleground in 1863, but its existing buildings reflect evolving architectural styles and hosted lectures by Carl Sandburg and Eleanor Roosevelt, and concerts by Frank Sinatra and Nina Simone. These old brick buildings also reflect the decisive years of a few legendary alumni, from groundbreaking Hollywood director Clarence Brown to Pulitzer-winning novelist Cormac McCarthy. There’s a century-old gridiron with history you can read from outside, the exotic stories behind a diverse array of statues, and Circle Park, which is perhaps much older than you may assume.

In a 90-minute walk, historian Jack Neely will tell UT’s stories. The tour starts outside Hodges Library on the corner of Volunteer Boulevard and Melrose Avenue.

Tickets are $15.00 for adults and $10 for students.

Parking: The official Vol Hall Parking Garage on White Avenue is three blocks from Hodges Library.

This walking tour is presented in partnership between the Knoxville History Project and University of Tennessee Libraries. https://knoxville-history-project.square.site/

This Friday, October 18, Mama's Broke and Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves will play the Laurel. Mama’s Broke is a duo from Halifax, Nova Scotia, consisting of Amy Lou Keeler and Lisa Maria. They are most noted as winners of the Canadian Folk Music Award for Ensemble of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2017. Their style draws on old time, bluegrass, and Eastern European folk music influences.

Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves approach traditional banjo and fiddle music as a way to interpret our uncertain times. Hargreaves is renowned for bringing powerhouse fiddling to the stage with Laurie Lewis and David Rawlings in addition to teaching bluegrass fiddle at UNC- Chapel Hill, and de Groot is known for intricate clawhammer banjo work with Bruce Molsky.

https://mamasbroke.ca/
https://www.allisonandtatiana.com/home

Tickets available at TicketLeap, by mail or at the door 30 minutes prior to show
Show is at 8 and doors at 7:30.

Jubilee Community Arts at the Laurel Theater, 1538 Laurel Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916. Tickets: https://jubilee-community-arts.ticketleap.com. Information: 865-522-5851, www.jubileearts.org

4:00-6:00 PM

Join us for Tavern Notes: Weekly live music outside of the Tavern at Maker Exchange
Grab a drink or bite and shop work by 150+ makers in the Curio while you enjoy live music from Knoxville’s most talented performers. Free and open to the public – curated by Dogwood Arts.

https://www.makerexchangeknox.com/calendar/tavernnotesoct/

We are back for our favorite time of the year! Let's celebrate with 35+ artists and makers bringing a variety of goods including oddities, mystics, herbs, dark arts, tarot and more! https://www.facebook.com/events/827560192728017/

The action is set in Truvy’s beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the ladies who are “anybody” come to have their hair done. Helped by her eager new assistant, Annelle (who is not sure whether or not she is still married), the outspoken, wise-cracking Truvy dispenses shampoos and free advice to the town’s rich curmudgeon, Ouiser, (“I’m not crazy, I’ve just been in a bad mood for forty years”); an eccentric millionaire, Miss Clairee, who has a raging sweet tooth; and the local social leader, M’Lynn, whose daughter, Shelby (the prettiest girl in town), is about to marry a “good ole boy.” Filled with hilarious repartee and not a few acerbic but humorously revealing verbal collisions, the play moves toward tragedy when, in the second act, the spunky Shelby (who is a diabetic) risks pregnancy and forfeits her life. The sudden realization of their mortality affects the others, but also draws on the underlying strength—and love—which give the play, and its characters, the special quality to make them truly touching, funny and marvelously amiable company in good times and bad.

Four performances: Thu-Sat at 8 PM, Sun at 2 PM
https://claytonartscenter.com/event/maryville-college-theatre-presents-steel-magnolias/

Clayton Center for the Arts, 502 East Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37804. Information/tickets: 865-981-8590, www.ClaytonArtsCenter.com

Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, October 18, 2024, at 7:30 p.m.
Tennessee Theatre

From the passion of Coleridge-Taylor’s Ballade for Orchestra to the intensity of Brahms’ Third Symphony, the KSO’s October MoxCar Marketing + Communications Masterworks program is brimming with romanticism. Award-winning violinist Paul Huang returns to present Tchaikovsky’s searing Violin Concerto.

Aram Demirjian, conductor
Paul Huang, violin

SAMUEL COLERIDGE-TAYLOR: Ballade for Orchestra
JOHANNES BRAHMS: Symphony No. 3
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY: Violin Concerto

Knoxville Symphony Orchestra: 865-291-3310, www.knoxvillesymphony.com